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Photo: John Bonner Photography

Volunteers Are the Heart of the ReStore

When you volunteer at the Habitat ReStore, you're doing two good things at once — strengthening your community and keeping usable goods out of the landfill. ReStore proceeds cover the majority of Habitat for Humanity's operating costs, which means every donation goes directly toward building affordable homes right here in the Comox Valley and Campbell River.

Together, our two ReStores renew 32 tons of products and recycle over nine tons of metal every single month. That's real impact, and our volunteers are at the heart of it.

You'll work alongside donors, customers, and genuinely great staff, doing work that's hands-on, varied, and always worthwhile. Depending on the day, you might be accepting donations, prepping and pricing items for sale, stocking shelves, recycling metal, or helping customers find exactly what they need.

No two shifts are the same. If you're looking for a volunteer role with real variety and real purpose, you're in the right place.

Volunteers clean merchandise to be sold at the Comox Valley ReStore | Photo by John Bonner

Volunteering at the ReStore comes with real perks, too. Enjoy flexible scheduling, new friendships, and a 25% discount on ReStore purchases — all while helping build a future where everyone has a safe, affordable place to call home.

ReStore Volunteer Roles

Cashier

If you enjoy people, this is your role. As a Cashier volunteer, you're often the first face customers see when they walk through the door — and the last impression they leave with. You'll handle cash, credit, and debit transactions, answer phones, schedule donation pick-ups and deliveries, support raffle ticket sales, and help keep the sales floor looking its best.

No two customers are the same, and no two shifts are either. If you're at your best when you're connecting with people, you'll feel right at home here.

Electronics

Got a passion for electronics? Put it to good use. Every electronic item donated to the ReStore is tested, cleaned, priced, and prepped for the sales floor — all by volunteers like you. From stereos and speakers to game controllers and televisions, you'll work through a satisfying variety of gear.

Full training and a procedure handout are provided so you can price items consistently and confidently. Anything that can't be sold gets recycled responsibly.

General Donation Receiver

This is a role for people who like to keep moving. As a Donation Receiver, you'll be at the heart of the ReStore's daily operation — sorting incoming donations, inspecting items for damage, cleaning and pricing everything from furniture to appliances, and getting it all ready for the sales floor. You may also help carry larger items from receiving to the floor, or assist customers in loading purchases into their vehicles.

Our staff will guide you on what donations we can accept, so you're never making those calls alone. Every shift brings something different through the door.

General Organizer

Do you find satisfaction in bringing order to chaos? This one's for you. Once or twice a month, you'll move through the ReStore — tidying merchandise shelves, organizing the receiving area, sorting through books, clearing bins, and restoring calm wherever a disorganized pile has taken hold.

The ideal Organizer works well independently, knows how to prioritize, and isn't fazed by a good mess. If that sounds like you, you might just be one of the most valuable people in the building. A little straightening goes a long way — and the whole team feels it.

Kitchen Demolition

Like to get in and take things apart? This is your kind of Saturday. The ReStore regularly dismantles donated kitchen cabinetry for resale, and we're looking for volunteers with some construction experience to help get it done. You'll work alongside a great team, the hours are flexible, and at the end of the day you'll see exactly what your effort made possible.

Lighting

Every light and fan donated to the ReStore gets tested before it hits the sales floor — and that's where you come in. You'll hook up and test ceiling lights, table lamps, fans, and bulbs, give working items a gentle clean and tidy, and make sure everything is floor-ready. Anything that doesn't pass gets recycled. Full training is provided.

Researcher

Are you an antique hunter, a collector, or just someone who loves a good mystery? The ReStore regularly receives rare and valuable items — and we need sharp eyes to help identify and price them accurately. As a Researcher volunteer, you'll sleuth out the function, origin, and value of unusual donations, helping us make sure every piece finds its true worth. Items could range from original artwork and vintage tools to rare pottery, china, or comic books.

This is a role for the genuinely curious — and the finds can be remarkable.

Recycling

This is where the ReStore's environmental impact gets real. In the Recycling Room, you'll strip valuable metals from non-working appliances, electronics, and scrap — sorting and separating high-value metal from general scrap in a way that generates direct revenue for Habitat for Humanity's homebuilding mission. Every shift keeps usable materials out of the landfill and puts money toward a family's future home.

You'll learn to identify different manufactured materials, deconstruct donated items with purpose, and walk away knowing exactly what your hands made possible.

Small Appliance Tester

Every small appliance donated to the ReStore — toasters, vacuums, blenders, coffee makers, slow cookers, fans, and more — gets a thorough once-over before it hits the sales floor. As a Small Appliance Tester, you'll inspect each item for damage, frayed cords, and missing pieces, then clean, price, and prep anything that passes for sale. Items that don't make the cut are recycled for salvageable components — nothing goes to waste needlessly.

This is a focused, independent role that suits someone methodical and detail-oriented. If you do your best work when you're in a groove and working at your own pace, this one's worth a look.

Sorting Table & Merchandiser

If you love getting first look at what comes through the door, this role delivers. Sorting Table volunteers process donated household items — dishes, kitchenware, vases, pictures, knick-knacks, and more — inspecting each one for damage, cleaning it up, pricing it, and getting it floor-ready. Merchandising volunteers then take it a step further, arranging items on shelves and creating displays that catch a customer's eye and move product.

It's a role with a visible result. You'll see your work on the floor every shift — and you'll see it sell. Training on pricing is provided.

Tool Testing & Sorting

Got a thing for tools? This one's for the tinkerers. In the Tool Room, you'll test, clean, and restore donated tools of every kind — from sorting gardening gear like shovels and rakes to testing power tools like drills, saws, and lawnmowers. If it's got a blade, a motor, or a handle, chances are it'll cross your workbench.

This is a hands-on, problem-solving role for someone who knows their way around a tool — or is eager to learn.

Yard Associate — Outside Receiver Comox Valley ReStore

If you'd rather be outside than in, this is your role. As a Yard Associate, you'll be on the move — sorting incoming donations, inspecting items for damage, cleaning and pricing everything that comes through, and getting it all ready for the sales floor or yard. You may also help carry larger items from receiving to the floor, or assist customers in loading purchases into their vehicles.

Our staff will guide you on which donations we can accept, so you're never making those calls alone. This role is based under our covered outdoor yard, so dress for the weather and bring your appetite for fresh air — it's that kind of shift.

Baker

Building homes takes more than muscles and a hammer — it also takes good people who know how to show up for a team. If you love to bake but can't eat it all yourself, this one's for you.

We typically have around 20 people working in the ReStore on any given day, and a batch of freshly baked treats goes a long way toward keeping spirits high. We ask for roughly two dozen items per contribution, made with economical ingredients, and please label everything clearly with common allergens such as nuts or gluten. It's one of the most appreciated things a volunteer can do.

Whether you have a few hours a month or a few days a week, there's a place for you at the Habitat ReStore. Every shift — no matter the role — helps build something bigger than any one of us: a community where everyone has a safe, affordable place to call home.

Come for the work. Stay for the people. Leave knowing you made a difference.

We'd love to have you on the team.

Need more information? Contact volunteer@habitatnorthisland.com for more details or any questions.